Stunning seaside forest with famous ponies & award-winning theme park named UK’s top campervan spot
A STUNNING English forest with world-famous wild ponies and a theme park has been named the top campervan spot this summer.
The school summer holidays has plenty of people planning days out, with forest and parks being a popular choice for families.
Why the New Forest National Park?
While most Brits make a beeline for the Jurassic Coast and the Isle of Wight, a stunning park in the south of England offers an entirely different holiday.
Research from Select Van Leasing, named The New Forest National Park as the UK’s top campervan spot for the summer.
They ranked destinations based on factors like the number of campsites, how many sites allowed campervans, and how much it cost to pitch up for the night.
The scores were calculated against the number of Instagram hashtags and the number of monthly searches for campervan sites.
And The New Forest National Park nabbed the top spot with full marks.
They added: “It’s unsurprising that The New Forest National Park received full marks, as it boasts both beautiful scenery and is a great place to spot a range of woodland wildlife.”
Holidaymakers have also been raving about the national park on TripAdvisor too.
One person wrote: “The forest is simply stunning. From deep fir forests to open heathland, it has something for everyone human and animal alike.”
While another person added: “The views are stunning and I found it very peaceful and relaxing.”
Set across Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire in Southwest England, The New Forest National Park is home to wild ponies, deer, hiking trails, and its very own theme park.
The summer is the best time to visit, with highs of 21C often forecast.
Hotels are extremely affordable too with a night at The Stag Hotel in Lyndhurst, a three-star hotel, costing as little as £95 per night based on two people sharing a room.
Holidaymakers can also book to stay at a variety of campsites with prices starting from £17 per night per pitch.
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How do I get there?
The easiest way to reach The New Forest National Park is in a car, campervan, or motorhome.
It’s a two-hour drive from London, a 90-minute drive from Bath, or a two-and-a-half-hour stint from Exeter.
Holidaymakers can also travel to the New Forest on the train too by arriving at Brockenhurst station in the heart of the forest.
From London Waterloo Station, it’s a 90-minute journey to Brockenhurst with return tickets costing £53 for a full-paying adult.
Train services also run from other stations too including Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Oxford, and Birmingham.
There are also several other train stations in the New Forest including Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Sway, New Milton, Lymington Town, and Lymington Pier.
What is there to do there?
There’s plenty to do in The New Forest National Park too.
At Brockenhurst, holidaymakers will be able to glimpse some of the forest’s wild ponies at the Watersplash – a picturesque ford.
At the same time, visitors may even spot the odd cow or donkey wandering the roads of Brockenhurst.
The New Forest National Park is a wildlife haven so holidaymakers can expect to see bats, wading birds, deer, and lots of insects.
Meanwhile, Paultons Park is located on the edge of the New Forest.
The theme park has more than 70 rides, including roller coasters, family rides, and attractions.
It is also known for being the home of Peppa Pig World too.
Guests will find Grampy Rabbit’s Sailing Club, The Queen’s Flying Coach, Grandpa Pig’s Little Train, and Peppa’s Big Balloon in the Peppa Pig World.
Kids can also enjoy play areas, as well as meet and greets with Peppa Pig and George Pig.
Beyond Peppa Pig World, there’s also Tornado Spring, a world set in a midwest desert resort town in the 1950s.
The New Forest also has 40 miles of coastline too with top beaches including Barton-on-Sea with views across to the Isle of Wight.
There are also other beaches like Milford on Sea, Lepe, Calshot and Eling.
Other nearby attractions include the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, and Buckler’s Hard, an eighteenth-century naval village where Nelson’s fleet was built.
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